Combination three-dimensional article and display package therefor, and method of packaging said article



Jan. 30, 1962 w. B. CRANE, JR 3,018,879

COMBINATION THREE-DIMENSIONAL ARTICLE AND DISPLAY PACKAGE THEREFOR, ANDMETHOD OF PACKAGING SAID ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed- Dec. 15, 1958INVENTOR. W/Zlmm 15. 67 4/76,

flzmfl l a'y, Daniel; J Marc/z A T TORNEYS Jan. 30, 1962 w. B. CRANE, JR3,018,879

COMBINATION THREE-DIMENSIONAL ARTICLE AND DISPLAY PACKAGE THEREFOR, ANDMETHOD OF PACKAGING SAID ARTICLE Filed Dec. 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2FW- 5 my. 5

INVENTOR. Wilda/77 l3 C/dfl6,

Mu/m LLdd y, fia/u'eZs 62, MdI'C/I/ ATTORNEYS Unite This invent-ionrelates to the packaging of three-dimensional articles, and moreparticularly to packaging of the type which enables the packagedarticles to be displayed or viewed.

An object of the invention is to provide a combination article anddisplay package therefor, wherein the article is attractively presentedand the appearance thereof appreciably enhanced by the packaging.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedcombination three-dimensional article and display package containing thesame, wherein the said display package is extremely simple in itsconstruction and economical to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and advantageousmethod of packaging a three-dimensional article for display purposes,which method is simple and easy to practice, and results in a desirableeconomy in the packaging process.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improvedcombination three-dimensional article and display package, wherein thefabrication of the package and the packaging operation readily lendsitself to machine production, and wherein the article or articles may beeasily and quickly placed in the package.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improvedcombination article and display package therefor, wherein the cost ofthe package and the article-inserting operations involved are held to avery low figure, thereby to effect a desirable economy of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters ofreference are used to designate like components throughout the severalviews, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a combination article anddisplay package as provided by the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational View of the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2,showing the package prior to insertion of the article, and prior to heatshrinking of the plastic sheet which encloses the article;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of a combinationarticle and display package of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the package of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the present combination article anddisplay package containing the same is seen to be of extremely simpleconstruction, involving relatively few components, the packagecomprising essentially a stiff supporting sheet 10 extending alongsideor adjacent the rear of one article or a plurality of articlesdesignated by the numeral 12, said supporting shcet having a cutoutportion forming an opening 14 which extends entirely through the sheetat a location behind the article or articles 12. The article 12 may be afiat container such as is commonly used to hold aspirin or othertablets, or

, The peripheralo-r edge portions 18 of the plastic sheet 16 i severalsuch containers may be stacked one in front of another; or the article12 may be a product which is unboxed, as may be readily understood. Theopening 14 in the sheet 10 has a size, indicated by the broken lines inFIG. 1, which is less than the corresponding size of the article orarticles 12, but greater in its larger dimension than the smallerdimension of the article, so that the latter may be in some mannerpassed through the opening.

The improved display package of the invention further comprises a thintransparent plastic membranous sheet 16 Y which is folded around thearticle 12 and which closely conforms at least in large part to thecontour of the said article. The plastic sheet 16 passes through theopening 14 in the stiff supporting sheet 10, and has edge portions 18which are secured to the back of the supporting sheet in any suitablemanner, as by means of an adhesive. seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the article12 and the enclosing portion of the plastic sheet 16 are disposed at thefront of the stiff supporting sheet 10, in front of the opening 14therein.

In accordance with the invention, the package as thus set forth isformed from a composite blank 19 which is shown in FIG. 4. This blankcomprises the stiff sheet 10 and also the plastic sheet 16 but thecentral portion of the latter is laterally displaced so as to form apocket 20.

are secured to the stiff support 10, with the pocket 29 extendingthrough the opening 14, as shown. Upon the blank 19 being thus formed,the article 12 is passed into the pocket 20 by bringing it edgewise andsuitably positioned through the opening 14, as permitted by the smallerdimension of the article and the larger dimension of the opening. Thearticle is then positioned broadside to and in front of the opening 14,as indicated in FIG. 1, with the' pocket or pouch 20 loosely containingthe article.

For the purpose of causing the plastic sheet to enclose the article andconform closely to the contours thereof, as seen in FIG. 3, the pocketformed in the plastic sheet may be of dimensions similar to that of thearticle to be carried thereby. This will be accomplished by stretchingthe plastic sheet. If desired, the sheet may be constituted of a plasticsubstance, such as polyvinyl chloride, or the like, which whenprestretched will thereafter be shrinkable. With this construction aheat shrinking operation for the stretched plastic may be employed. Incarrying this out the sheet may, for example, be subjected to a streamof hot air, which I have found to be effective in rapidly causing aheat-shrinking of the sheet, so that after the sheet has cooled, itclosely conforms to the contour of the article 12.

In following the method of the invention, the plastic sheets 16 havingthe laterally offset portions or pockets 20 are secured at their edgeportions to the stiff supporting sheets 10, as by cementing the sametogether.

such article is illustrated in FIG. 3.

closely to most of the surface of the article.

Another form of the novel combination three dimem- Patented Jan. 30,1962 The offset" portions 20 are, of course, passed through the openings14 of the supporting sheets, as seen in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the articles12 are passed through the openings 14 in the stiff supporting sheets 10and disposed within the pockets? provided by the offset portions 20 ofthe plastic sheet. A number of articles 12 may be stacked in each pouch20, in accordance with the invention, even though only one' Afterpositioning of the article or articles 12 within the pocket of theplastic sheet 16, the said sheet is heat shrunk as above described,"whereupon it will close about the article 12 and conform 5 3 the sheetmay be scored or otherwise weakened along the line 33.

A flap 34 is provided as shown intermediate the side edges of theplastic sheet andabove the line 33. A central portion of the blank abovethe flap 34 is displaced so as to form a pocket 35. A plastic membranoussheet 36 is disposed through the aperture 35 in the supporting sheet 31having its perimeter portions secured to the back of the said supportingsheet at the upper portion and at the rear of the fiap 34 and base 32.An article 37 larger in dimensions than the opening 35 is supported bythe thin membranous sheet and portions of the stiff supporting sheetadjacent the aperture 35.

To provide the display package the base 32 of the stiff supporting sheetis folded rearwardly along the line 33. The flap 34 projects forwardlyto form a stand. The article 37 is then passed through the opening 35resting on the base 34, as shown in FIG. 6, and in the pocket formed bythe plastic sheet. As aforesaid, the sheet may then be subjected to aheating operation to effectively and rapidly cause it to be shrunk toclosely conform to the contour of the article 12. In this modificationit will be noted a self-supporting display package containing an articleof merchandise has been provided in a simple and efficient manner. I I

The improved combination article and display package as above describedmay, where considered desirable or necessary, be contained in a furtherwrapper or box, as will be readily understood.

It will now beseen that, in accordance with the present invention, therehas been provided a novel and improved combination article and displaypackage therefor, wherein the package is constituted in an extremelysimple manner, comprising essentially but two separate components, thestiff supporting sheet and a plastic enclosing sheet.

The fabrication of the package, and the assembly of the articles intothe package may be readily carried out by automatic machinery, althoughit will be understood that the method of forming the package may becarried out at least in part by hand. The articles, when carried by thepackage, are attractively displayed, and the smooth and glossy surfaceof the transparent sheet enhances the appearance of the articles andprovides a lustrous appearance which the articles would otherwise nothave.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim: I 7 h I 1. In combination, a three-dimensional article which isto be displayed; and a display package containing said article,comprising a stiff supporting sheet extending adjacent the rear of thearticle and having a cut-out portion forming an opening extendingthrough the sheet at a location wholly behind the article, said openinghaving a width whichis less than the maximum of at least one dimensionof the said article, said package further comprising a thintransparentplastic membranous heat shrinkable sheet folded around thefront and sides of said article and conforming at least in part to thecontour thereof, said plastic sheet passing through the opening of thestiff supporting sheet and having anchored edge portions adhered totheback of said supporting sheet, and said article and enclosing portion ofthe plastic sheet being disposed against the front of the supportingsheet, in front of the said opening therein, the enclosed article beingdisposed wholly in front of the said stiff supporting sheet and theenclosing portion of the plastic sheet being taut around the article andtaut and under continuous tension between portions of the article andthe anchored edge portions of the plastic sheet.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in whichthe opening whichextends through the stiff supporting sheet is elongate, and in which thethree-dimensional article contained in the folded portion of the plasticsheet is rectangular and has a minor dimension which is less than themajor dimension of the opening. I

3. The invention as defined in claim 2, in which the folded portions ofthe transparent plastic sheet cover have dimensions greater than thecorresponding dimensions of the said elongate opening, said foldedportions overlying areas of the front of the stiff sheet which borderthe said elongate opening.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the plastic sheet istight and under continual tension at locations adjoining the majorprotuberant portions of the surface of the said article.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4, in which the plastic sheet is ofheat-shrinkable vinyl composition.

6. In combination a three-dimensional article which is to be displayed;a stiff supporting sheet extending adjacent the rear of the article andhaving a cut-out portion forming an opening extending through the sheetat a location wholly behind the article, said opening having a widthwhich is less than a maximum of one dimension of the said article; abase on said stiff supporting sheet, and a flap adjacent and alignedwith said base, said package further comprising a thin transparentplastic membranous heat shrinkable sheet folded around the front andsides of said article and conforming at least in part to the contourthereof, said plastic sheet passing through the opening of the stiffsupporting sheet and having anchored edge portions adhered to the backof said supporting sheet, to one side of the said flap and to the baseof said supporting sheet, and said article and enclosing portion of theplastic sheet being disposed in front of the supporting sheet, in frontof the said opening therein, and above said flap, the enclosed articlebeing disposed wholly in front of the said stiff supporting sheet andthe enclosing portion of the plastic sheet being taut around the articleand taut and under continuous tension between portions of the articleand the anchored edge portions of the plastic sheet.

7. The method of packaging an article for display, which includes thesteps of adhering a membranous plastic sheet provided with a pocket, toa stiff supporting sheet having an opening, said pocket extendingthrough the said opening, passing an article to be packaged through thesaid opening of the supporting sheet and into the said pocket, andthereafter shrinking the plastic sheet to cause it to at least partiallyconform to the contour of the said article.

8. The method of packaging an article for display, which includes thesteps of adhering a membranous plastic sheet provided with a pocket, toa stiff supporting sheet having an opening, said pocket extendingthrough the said opening, passing an article which is to be packagedthrough the opening of the supporting sheet and into the said pocket,and thereafter applying heat to the plastic sheet to shrink it' so thatit at least partially conforms to the contour of the said article.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

